Tonights score - 1-0

[Dan]

Dan - 1, snapped head stud - 0

I swing by and pick up a new 7/16" X 14 tap today at lunch, and when I got home I figured I would just spend 5 minutes to clean the hole out with the new tap I broke the other one with last night, and move on to the next victim. Only, something seemed odd when I ran the tap in. I stepped back and looked - CRAP, the tap is coming out of the hole at a slight angle! I removed the tap and looked down the hole - the walls were real shiny and that is not right on a 60+ year old block. Thinking what the heck, I started the tap back in carfully feeling my way until I felt it start to jar towards the front of the engine, I placed more force on the tap handle towards the back of the engine - the tap started to straighten out, then I heard a faint "pop". Removing the tap again and fearing the worse, I discovered it popped a section of remaining stud material out of the original block threads. Encouraged, I ran it back in keeping force on the tap to ensure it ran true. After TWO HOURS and working very slowly and carefully, it is all cleaned up and nothing but original cast threads. The hole is a little loose for my likes (a bolt has to go in about 1/2" before it stops wobbling slightly in the hole and tightens up). Oh well - I would rather have a slightly loose hole than a crooked one. Extra sealant for that one

The next victim I discovered was in a blind hole. Nothing worked to coax it out but once again the tried and true drill it out and pick the threads. I got a tad off on this one also when centering, but found not only my Dremel chain saw grinding stone, but also my specialty metal shaping bit (it looks very similar to the thin long chain saw stone, but is made of spiral cut metal). I cleaned the thick side until I could faintly see threads, picked the top few theads and ran the tap down with plenty of oil. This one cleaned right up with no problems to a nice tight hole - time - 1 hour.

So, I am down to 8 broken studs from 12 - gaining ground. Drinking a cold one in celebration tonight.

Dan

 

[duey]

Well, Dan, you are, perhaps, not *there* yet... but practice makes perfect... or better anyway!

I think some have found that drilling is one good answer to the press-fit radius arm pins on the front axle... drill it out to thin-wall and then tap it out.

Different strokes for different folks, though. What one guy hates to do, another doesn't mind.

Now that you're warmed up, start throwin' strikes!

duey, who uses beeswax as a drill bit lube...

 

[Dan]

Thanks bud. So, where the heck do you find bees wax? I checked at my uber-stocked hardware store but failed to find it (although I DID find a brass drain tap almost identical to the original designed drain cock - BUT with a 3/8" pipe fitting which would cure my over sized drilled drain hole on my block... and I also found the 3/8" to 1/4" brass screw in bushing to convert the hole to the original size).

Dan

 

[Dunk]

Me and dewy are dufuses, I guess you knoe that.

I have been tryin to stay out of this cause I want to call you a lesser dufus than we are, but still not to doubt a BIG dufus.

When you ripped that first one off, you needed to seek professional dufus help at that time!!!

A good smoke wrench, some white hot studs, and a good pair of vice grips would have saved you worlds of trouble.

Hobo has tried to say this to you.

I still think you, and yall have a plan.

But I can assure you, it could have been a lot easier.

 

[Dan]

Now Dunk - if it were easy, where would the fun be?

Dan

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dan, I found a good source for bees wax is old church candles after they get too short. Almost all of the best are bees wax. Then again, any beekeeper......

 

[duey]

Beeswax was available in one of my former jobs and a piece came home in the ol' toolbox... truly, a little bit goes a LONG ways.. Drill a bit, "quench" in the beeswax, drill, quench, drill some more. I have a bit extra.

Furthermore, beeswax is great to apply to screws going into wood, even oak. Facilitates very nicely. Like most things, it is not all things to everything... but very useful nonetheless.

Email is open.

duey

 

[Too Tall]

I've also found bees wax to be very helpful for all sorts of things. My source? Any archery supply store, or even Wal-Mart during fall hunting season. It is used on the strings of the bow to keep them from drying out and getting brittle.
TooTall

 

[Steve IA]

Can't offer any advice, but just to let you know I'm rooting for you and enjoying the reports.

Steve

 

[lannius]

You can get all the bees wax you want at any leather supply store such as Tandy Leather or The Leather Factory, etc. They have walk in stores all around the US and websites as well.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I'm enjoying reading Dan's trials and tribulations on removing head studs. At the risk of sounding stupid; why do they need to be removed? Is it a common practice to replace studs on a rebuild or is it because of excessive corrosion? Thanks Dan and best of luck with your project.